By Basha Cohen
The eighth annual Jamming on the Jetty music festival will take place from 2-8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Sloan’s Lake Boat House and Jetty on the north side of the park (Byron Place and Utica Street).
What started as a tiny jam on the jetty with a few neighbors in 2016 has turned into one of the premier summer music events in northwest Denver, with a serious mission to accomplish. This jam-fest is more than just a kick-up your-heels and hang-out-to-music event; it is a community fundraiser hosted by the Sloan’s Lake Park Foundation (SLPF) whose mission is to help #SaveSloansLake.
Glenn Witman, chairman of the SLPF board said, “We want to activate the lake through beautification projects, monthly clean-ups, educational forums and exciting events like our recent Sloan’s Lake Wide Open putt-putt beer crawl that will engage our community to protect and defend one of the most beautiful natural assets in north Denver.”
The SLPF board wants to bring back the days when swimmers frolicked in the lake, an amusement park graced its shore and competitive water skiing was a regular event. Once upon a time, in the not-toodistant past, the lake was 18-20 feet deep. It is now an average of 3 feet.
It takes a village to bring about a change of this magnitude, but concerned neighbors, both old-time Sloan’s Lake residents and newbies alike, alongside Denver Parks and Recreation, and City Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval are taking up the challenge to restore the jewel in the crown of northwest Denver. The event is open to all, but It never hurts to donate a bit when a free, family friendly event includes yoga, live bands, a kids sing-along and a kids zone.
New this year, Cycling without Age of Littleton will provide trishaw bike rides around the lake for elders and those infirmed who want to feel the wind in their faces in one of the most beautiful, mountain-framed lakefronts in Denver.
Of course, barrels of beer, cocktails, margaritas, food trucks and four live bands will fill the air with the sound of music all in the spirit of #SaveSloansLake. Jamming on the Jetty will celebrate the lake that was once the home of the Manhattan Beach amusement park in the late 1800s and early 1900s. SLPF looks forward to bringing back those days when swimmers graced the waters and dogs dared to frolic in the wake of its shores.
The Sloan’s Lake Park Foundation is seeking donations, volunteers and support. Be part of the movement to #SaveSloansLake by contacting the foundation at sloanslakeparkfoundation. org or email info@ sloanslakeparkfoundation.org.
I’m in the west colfax neighborhood and I think it’s fair to say that we’re all excited with the idea of saving sloans lake. I’ve been trying to imagine what a healthy lake would look like for the neighborhood.